Oct. 25, 2002
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Kentucky women’s soccer team used a three-goal first half to earn a must-win Southeastern Conference victory over Arkansas, 3-1, at Lady ‘Back Field Friday night. The Wildcats (9-7-0/4-4-0 SEC) needed a winning result over the Razorbacks (6-12-0/2-5-0 SEC) to keep in the race for one of eight seeds awarded to the SEC Tournament in Oxford, Miss., from Nov. 7-11.
“Our team knew what was at stake tonight, and it answered the challenge,” Coach Warren Lipka said. “We played with a sense of determination tonight, but we’re not finished yet. We need to carry this momentum into Baton Rouge. Our destiny’s in our own hands – if we win we go to Oxford.”
Playing a back-and-fourth match for over 20 minutes, the Wildcats ended the seesaw battle when Elizabeth Ramsey headed a pass to Lauren Russell and the junior forward’s blast from 10 yards out beat UA goalkeeper Lindsay Haywood to the far right side of the net at 22:39.
The assist was a team-high sixth for Ramsey this season and the 27th of the UK co-captain’s career. She needs six helpers to move into a first-place tie with Annie Gage who served up 33 assists from 1997-2001. Owning 69 career points, the Hilliard, Ohio, native now trails Carrie Staber (71 from 1995-98) by only two points for fourth place on UK’s all-time scoring list.
UK upped its lead to 2-0 when Danielle Slupski fed a streaking Kristen Jedlo who maneuvered through the UA defense down the right flank and garnered her second goal of the season beating Haywood to the lower-left of the net. The two-goal lead lasted only two minutes before the Cats found the net again. Kara McCue centered to Jen Weakley subsequently headed to Christal Mattingly and the senior’s 12-yard laser found the back of the net to give UK a 3-0 lead at the half. UK outshot UA, 10-3, after 45 minutes of play.
UK goalie Liz Butler made several spectacular saves throughout the second period, but the Razorbacks put a chink in Butler’s armor when Melissa Dziubinski took a Julie Williford pass and rocketed a 24-yard laser to the top-right of the Kentucky goal in the 14th minute.
The Wildcats will next face LSU on Sunday, Oct. 27 in their final SEC match of the season at 2 p.m. ET. UK owns a perfect 6-0-0 series lead over the Tigers, including a 3-0-0 mark in Baton Rouge.
1 2 FKentucky 3 0 3Arkansas 0 1 1
Scoring: Russell, UK (Ramsey), 22:39; Jedlo, UK(Slupski), 32:36; Mattingly, UK (McCue, Weakley),34:47; Dziubinski, UA (Williford), 76:13
Shots: UK 17, UA 10
Saves: UK 5, UA 8
Corner Kicks: UK 4, UA 4
Fouls: UK 16, UA 5
Attendance: 374
– UK –
